Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
- We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
- On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.
By learning about Rookins (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.
As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Rookins. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Name Variations for Rookins ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
While the name of this community is Rookins, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Rookins may originally have been Rookin's.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Rookins is located in Saint Clair County.
To see how the shape of Missouri's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Saint Clair County: Bates, Benton, Cedar, Henry, Hickory, Polk & Vernon.
Below are the counties that are near Rookins. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rookins:
- Saint Clair County (The home county of Rookins)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Cobb
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cobb is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb
- Collins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Roscoe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Vista
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vista is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Gerster
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Gerster is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gerster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24 people
- Monegaw Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Monegaw Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monegaw Springs
- Osceola
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Lowry City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Johnson City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Johnson City is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
- Appleton City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Barton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Milford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Milford is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Newport
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Newport is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newport
- Layneville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Layneville is located in Barton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Layneville
- Bates County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Rockville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Rockville is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Prairie City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie City is located in Bates County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
- Cedar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Caplinger Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Caplinger Mills is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caplinger Mills
- Lebeck
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lebeck is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebeck
- Stockton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Willowville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Willowville is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowville
- El Dorado Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Umber View Heights
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Umber View Heights is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Umber View Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
- Virgil City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Virgil City is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgil City
- Jerico Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jerico Springs is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerico Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 232 people
- Dade County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Bona
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bona is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bona
- Arcola
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Arcola is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 53 people
- Glen Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Glen Town is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Town
- Corry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Corry is located in Dade County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corry
- Dadeville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Greenfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Henry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Brownington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Brownington is located in Henry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Deepwater
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hickory County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Weaubleau
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Elkton
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Elkton is located in Hickory County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Quincy
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Quincy is located in Hickory County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
- Wheatland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Galmey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Galmey is located in Hickory County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galmey
- Hermitage
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Pittsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Avery
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Avery is located in Hickory County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Nemo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Nemo is located in Hickory County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemo
- Preston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Humansville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Dunnegan
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Dunnegan is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnegan
- Flemington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Flemington is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flemington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Rondo
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Rondo is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rondo
- Fair Play
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Aldrich
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Aldrich is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aldrich
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Bolivar
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Sentinel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Sentinel is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sentinel
- Former name for Sentinel:
- Sentinel Prairie
- Polk
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Polk is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk
- Eudora
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Eudora is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eudora
- Wishart
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wishart is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wishart
- Goodson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Goodson is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodson
- Vernon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Montevallo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Montevallo is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montevallo
- Schell City
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Harwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Harwood is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 45 people
- Bellamy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bellamy is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellamy
- Walker
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Walker is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Population from the 2020 Census: 253 people
- Milo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Milo is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rookins, see our County-by-County Page for Rookins.
Cemeteries Near Rookins ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rookins.
This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.
Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Rookins - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rookins covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Rookins Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Sheeks Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Preston Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Seat Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Simrell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Norris Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Hackleman Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Freeman - Holsapple Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Allen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Parker Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Culbartson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Allen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (240 more) ...
- Love Mound Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pankey Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fraley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
Nearby Communities in 1895 ...
We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Rookins had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rookins, with the one closest to Rookins listed first.
- Cobb
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cobb is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb
- Caplinger Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Caplinger Mills is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caplinger Mills
- Arnica
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Arnica is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnica
- Ivy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ivy is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivy
- Collins
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Roscoe
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Lebeck
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lebeck is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebeck
- Stockton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Humansville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Oyer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Oyer is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oyer
- Filley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Filley is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Filley
- Vista
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vista is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Weaubleau
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Tiffin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tiffin is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiffin
- Bearcreek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bearcreek is located in Cedar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bearcreek
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rookins. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rookins.
Newspapers Published in Rookins ...
An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).
To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.
Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 82 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rookins.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rookins, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rookins.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Rookins:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Saint Clair County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barton County
- Bates County
- Cedar County
- Dade County
- Henry County
- Hickory County
- Polk County
- Vernon County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Missouri
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Rookins, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rookins) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |